Billionaires like Beyoncé and Jay-Z may seem to have it all, but what the “Halo” hitmaker loves most about her other half is how he reminds her that it’s okay to be human. “I don’t care if you’re picture-perfect on every magazine cover, and you’re the most handsome, successful, coolest guy. You’ll still get sad, and you’ll still get your feelings hurt and you still get confused and vulnerable and nervous and scared,” she once told Seventeen. “You have to find a person you can make it through the tough times with.” Beyoncé’s husband has stuck by her side through plenty of ups and downs across the decades, and according to him, all the drama has only served to strengthen their bond.
Beyoncé Was Just 18 When She Met Her Future Husband – He Was 30
The power couple first crossed paths when Queen B was still a member of Destiny’s Child; she was 18 at the time while Hov was entering his 30s. “We were friends first for a year and a half before we went on any dates,” the former once told Oprah Winfrey. “We were on the phone for a year and a half, and that foundation is so important for a relationship. Just to have someone who you just like is so important, and someone [who] is honest.” Though they weren’t publically dating at the time, Jay and Bey graced the cover of Vanity Fair in 2001 before dropping their “’03 Bonnie & Clyde” collaboration the next year.
Fresh off the success of that came the infectious “Crazy in Love,” which won the artists Best R&B Song plus Best Rap/Sung Collab at the 2004 Grammys. Their chemistry in the accompanying visual was telling of something brewing in their personal lives, as was the rapper’s decision to end his Grammys boycott after six years to support his “friend.” It wasn’t until that year’s MTV VMAs that they made their relationship red carpet official, confirming their love story to the public. To celebrate her 25th birthday, Beyoncé shared her sophomore LP, B’Day featuring two appearances from the New Yorker – “Déjà Vu” and “Upgrade U.” Much to music lover’s delight, they joined forces again on his Kingdom Come project, penning verses for “Hollywood.”
“Crazy in Love” Collaborators Tied the Knot in 2008
Despite being one of the most recognizable stars of her generation, Beyoncé manages to keep an air of mystery around her personal life. On April 4, 2008, she and Jay-Z tied the knot in a top-secret ceremony at his 13,500 square-foot penthouse in Manhattan. “There was no rush – no one expected me to run off and get married,” the mother of three told Seventeen. “I really don’t believe that you will love the same thing when you’re 20 as you do at 30. So that was my rule, before the age of 25, I would never get married. I feel like you have to get to know yourself, know what you want, spend some time by yourself, and be proud of who you are before you can share that with someone else.”
Four years into their marriage, the Carters welcomed their first daughter, Blue Ivy, On Jan. 7. In her Life Is But a Dream documentary, Bey spoke poignantly about how motherhood shifted her relationship with her husband. “This baby has made me love him more than I ever thought I could love another human being,” she gushed. “It’s just that I love him so much that we almost feel like one. I don’t know how to describe it.” While raising their little one, Beyoncé’s husband continued to join her in the studio for more music collaborations. She’s featured on his 2013 project, Magna Carta Holy Grail, meanwhile, he appeared on her self-titled LP, spitting salacious bars on “Drunk in Love” and showing up in the sultry “Partition” visual.
Beyoncé’s Husbands Infidelity Inspired Her ‘Lemonade’ Album
As picture-perfect as they sometimes seem, in 2014, the Carters were swamped with rumors of infidelity, which grew louder after Solange Knowles’ altercation with Beyoncé’s husband in an after-party elevator. Days after the drama went viral, the trio addressed the situation without acknowledging Jay-Z’s alleged cheating. “Jay and Solange each assume their share of responsibility for what has occurred. They both acknowledge their role in this private matter that has played out in the public. They both have apologized to each other and we have moved forward as a united family,” their statement declared.
Despite the ongoing talk of separation looming, Bey and Jay put on a united front during their On the Run Tour and at Solange’s wedding to Alan Ferguson. It wasn’t until 2016’s Lemonade visual album that the Hive got some answers about their favorite singer’s heart; she blatantly vented about infidelity on songs like “Hold Up,” “Don’t Hurt Yourself” and “Sorry,” though “Sand Castles” and “All Night” lyricize about renewed bonds and redemption.
The frequent collaborators welcomed twins Rumi and Sir to their family after their ninth wedding anniversary in 2017. Following that, Jay got vulnerable on his 13th studio project, 4:44, revealing how fatherhood has helped change his perspective on relationships. “I apologize, our love was one for the ages and I contained us,” he rhymes on the title track. “And if my children knew, I don’t know what I would do / If they ain’t look at me the same / I would probably die with all the shame.”
Before the “Big Pimpin'” artist admitted to cheating in a New York Times profile that year, he and his wife purchased a lavish $88M Bel Air mansion to raise their three kids in. “The hardest thing is seeing pain on someone’s face that you caused, and then have to deal with yourself… You don’t want to look inside yourself, and so you walk away,” Jay-Z shared while reflecting how he and Beyoncé handled their conflict. “We were using our art almost like a therapy session.” Even with his betrayal, the Houston native teamed up with her husband for a joint LP, Everything Is Love, in 2018, bringing home a Grammy for Best Urban Contemporary Album.
Despite Their Troubles, Jay-Z Is Still His Wife’s Biggest Fan
He may not be perfect, but Beyoncé’s husband has always been one of her biggest supporters. As she embarked on her Renaissance World Tour in 2023, the Roc Nation leader was in the audience cheering her on and grooving out with other celebrity pals nightly. Earlier this year, Hov put the Grammys on blast for failing to award the 43-year-old a prize for album of the year. “I don’t want to embarrass this young lady,” Jay said during a speech, “but she has more Grammys than anyone and never won album of the year. So even by your own metrics, that doesn’t work. Think about that. The most Grammys never won album of the year. That doesn’t work.” Do you think Beyoncé and Jay-Z are #CoupleGoals? Let us know in the comments!